1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the transmission of facsimiles over the Internet. The invention is more particularly related to the transmission of the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine to the transmitting facsimile machine over the Internet. The invention is further related to the use of electronic mail messages to transmit the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine over the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The transmission of facsimiles over the Internet is known. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a facsimile machine 2 can transmit a conventional facsimile over a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) to a transfer station 4. The transfer station 4 is a receiving facsimile machine which relays the facsimile transmission from the facsimile machine 2 over the Internet 8 to another transfer station 10. The transfer station 10 then transmits the relayed facsimile transmission over a PSTN to a receiving facsimile machine 12.
As an alternative to the use of a transfer station, a facsimile machine 6 can be used to transmit a facsimile over the Internet 8 without using a transfer station as an intermediary to the Internet. The facsimile is transmitted over the Internet 8 to the transfer station 10 in the form of an Internet electronic mail address. From the transfer station 10, a facsimile may be transmitted over the PSTN to a conventional facsimile machine 12. The description of the known system of FIG. 1 is based on Ricoh facsimile machine model 4800L having an Internet fax option, such as the Ricoh Internet fax option type 140, the specifications of both being incorporated herein by reference.
A shortcoming of conventional systems which utilize the Internet to transmit facsimiles which has been recognized by the present inventor is that the transmitting facsimile machine does not know the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine. Conventional systems simply do not account for or permit the transmission of the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine to the transmitting facsimile machine. Accordingly, the facsimile which is ultimately transmitted to the receiving facsimile machine in conventional systems is transmitted using low or minimal facsimile capabilities which serve as a common denominator among facsimile machines. Such a use of low facsimile capabilities, while assuring a successful facsimile transmission, has been determined by the inventor to not take advantage of the full capabilities of the facsimile machines.